Re: Lawrence Halfpenny/Halpin - Couty Louth

You may be in luck. Tuam B and M rcds date from 1790.

I research the Irish Family History Foundation's database. It contains 12,000,000 surviving rcds for abt 65% of Irish counties. Rcds are increasingly sparse B4 1840, rare B4 1800.

Note 1 - Without a KNOWN parish, the chance of an ancestor's rcds NOT being in this database is AT LEAST 35%.

Note 2 - Only 1/2 of Co. Cork's rcds are in this database.

Note 3 - The RC church kept control over most parish rcds from Tipperary (north). These are ONLY available thru the Tipperary Family History Research center at a substantial fee (regardless of outcome).

For L(aurence) Halfpenny B 1811 +/- 2 yrs in Co. Louth with the father's forename unknown, I found 2 rcds: 1810 and 1812. Father's forenames were both Pat(rick). Parishes were Dunleer and Kilsaran respectively.

For L(aurence) Halfpenny M 1839 +/- 2 yrs, Co. Louth, I found 0 rcds.

For Pat(rick) Halfpenny B 1841 +/- 1 yr, Co. Louth, with a father forenamed L(aurence), I found 1 rcd in 1841, Ardee parish.

Some of these MAY be for your ancestors - no guarantee. A view of the detailed rcds SHOULD show their parents names and other info which MIGHT validate a rcd. I would feel more comfortable had I found marriage rcds for the two. However, while Louth rcds go back to the 18th cent., there are many gaps.

Google the Foundation's name to lead you to this database. Register, opt to be notified as rcds are added and browse. Pls post your search results to my genforum msg.

Hope this helps. Good luck.